Geographic variation of polygyny in the termite Macrotermes michaelseni (Sjostedt)

Macrotermes michaelseni is a facultative polygynous termite species. Our re port provides evidence for an increase of the frequency in polygyny towards a distributional border. We suggest three hypotheses to explain this patte rn. Firstly, polygynous colonies have a higher chance to recruit into the m ature population. Secondly, alates are more inclined to found colonies co-o peratively near a distributional border. Thirdly, at the distributional bor der the level of intra-colonial conflicts decreases. We provide evidence th at the mutilations of queens' antennae may be a measure of ongoing aggressi on as well as aggression in the past. Our third hypothesis would thus predi ct that the mutilations of antennae should decrease towards the distributio nal border, which was not supported by our data.